Overlap: Within 30 Days
by tamaritha
Summary: My first fanfic that has been translated into English, originally the last in a series of anime fanfics. This one sums up my fanfic characters as they weave themselves into this BGC fanfic. ** PART 8 UPLOADED**
1. Part 1

bOverlap - Part 1/b  
  
i3rd February 2040 - Bought ticket to Tokyo./i  
  
This will probably be my last ride on the skyhook. Actually, it had better be - my visa expires next month.   
Then I can go to Amsterdam to exhibit my photo collection and visit Langley. Although the photo collection is  
a cover-up of my life - jsut a hobby, meeting Langley is all business: a dace with Death.  
  
Likewise, I have 2 reasons for being in Tokyo: one is to capture the mythicak Knightsabers on film and the other  
is to meety someone for Langley. I dod not yet know who this person is; further instructions will be given when I meet   
that person.  
  
I do no know, or try to know, the who-what-and-why elements of Langley's commands. I understnad it to be a threat to my  
life; I suspect it to be a threat to Langley. I do not question however - He questioned and He was dealt with. I do not  
want to be dealt with. Therefore I do not question in the first place.  
  
A large multi-vision screen is showing the 2-o'clock express. How the Skyhook operared will for ever be a mystery to me.  
It only seems ordinary to the millions of passengers it carries each day; to them it is just a convenient mode of transport  
- a machine.   
I look at the multi-vision screen again. The frame is too large and jagged; a lot of friction and pressure must be dealt with  
while it operates. It must be a hinderance, a barrier to the speeds it was designed to perform.  
  
I shake my head abruptly to put the thought out of my head. A hairpin falls out, and I turn my head to look for it. At that  
moment, a sniggering street rat shoves me past, and reaches out his hand to strike my handbag down.  
"Old country rat ain't ya?" He yells at me as he runs past, dissolving amongst the crowds. I look down. Of course my handbag  
is not there any more. It ahs been swept away by the thousands jostling in this small space at rush hour time.  
My ticket. It's in that handbag. Dammit!  
  
Someone taps my shoulder. I turn around. Brown hair, glasses.  
"Lookin' for this?" He drawls as he hands me back my bag. Tarheel accent? Can't be. I survery his appearance for more clues.  
Orange and pink combo - must be lacking in the fashion department/had a tough day at the launderette or just plain gay.  
Whichever it is, there's no need to worry about pick-up lines. Something about his manner...Police?  
  
"Thank you, officer," I turned around to walk away.   
He jumped back in surprise. "Hey, wait, don't leave me here!"   
I obeyed his command.  
"You some kinda psychic?" From his expression, I saw that he was greatly puzzled.  
"I am not sure whether I am one, but I am sure that wasn't a pick-up line," I answered, hoping this would clear it up.  
"How?" This man was perplexed, and was now squinting his eyes, trying to glare the trick out of me.  
"Easy, it's because you'e not attracted to girls."  
"OK so I AM gay, but how did you know that?"  
"That's easy too. You wear pink, and police officers don't wear pink."  
"Whoa, Whoa, girl! Don't go all psychic on me! So I am in the AD Police - but how did you know THAT???"  
"WOmen's intuition." I smiled as I excused myself, leaving him stranded on the platform.  
I really needed to catch that express.  
Really.  
  
__________________________  
  
Linna pushed her chair in as she stood up.  
"That should be my 2 o'clock express." She muttered as she took a glance at the screen.  
"And I got a band rehearsal. Gotta work over the bridge. Well, we've played hokey enough, haven't we?"  
Linna nodded. "Yeah, and I gotta face that durned boomer woman after the lunch break. She said she wanted to see me."  
She grimaced as thoughts of possible discussion topics flashed through her head.  
"Well, looks like the rest of the world is waiting for us to move on. I'll see ya tonite."  
With that, Priss picked up her jacket, and in the distance Linna heard Priss's motorcycle start up, then speed away.  
Linna sighed, then checked into the terminal.  
  
_________________________  
  
Daley was staring into his coffee. Women's intuition. Like he hadn't thought of that.   
He felt atap at his shoulder.  
  
"C'mon Daley, you weren't like this! You're the one who teases me when I'm depressed, not the other way around."  
Daley twisted his mouth into some sorta smile. "You're gloating over this, aren't ya?"  
"No, how coudl I be overjoyed about ...Okay, maybe just a little." Leon grinned as he scratched the back of his head.  
"What IS the prob? You looked happy until the lunch break...?"  
"Leon, jsut shut up, okay? Your colsolations are just another nightmare that I need to get counseling about."  
"Hey! That's not a nice remark! I'll shut up after this - will going out with me make you feel better?"  
Daley was exasperated. Will this monkey never stop?  
"Look, Leon, just because I'm gay it doesn't mean that I want to go after every chick on the highway alright?"  
"Well, I want to go after every chick on the highway, provided that she's pre...Whoa! Nene! I didn't know you were here?!"  
  
Nene smirked as she walked out of her cubicle. "Every chick huh? Wait till Priss hears about THIS, Leon-chan! Now you definetely  
blew your only chance to get her e-mail!"  
Leon was now grabbing at any straw to get out of the mess.  
"Nene, I really didn't mean naything in that context..."  
"Yes you did, sunshine and now you gotta pay for it! Nyah!"  
Here Nene stuck her tongue out and skipped down the corridor yelling out a "Good afternoon, everyond! I'm takin' t'nite off!"  
  
Leon slammed his head into the wall and Daley could not help but chuckle at the sudden change of expression in the monkey's face.  
"Lemme guess your next comment - you're gonna say 'Dammit how in the name of Heaven did this turn to a kiddie shack??' right, Leon?"  
Leon was stunned.  
"Hey, Le-on...!" Daley tapped at his shoulder, and Leon came back into his senses.  
"Hey, how did you know that?"  
"If I was a gal, I'd call it women's intuition, but since I am not, I call it getting used to your IQ."  
With this, Daley left, leaving Leon stranded.  
Leon stared after Daley for a few seconds, then he regained his intelligence.  
"Hey, partner, wait?"  
  
______________________  
  
Linna was the last one to arrive, bursting in upon Sylia and the others with dishevelled hair and work clothes still on.  
"That durned boomer executive found out about my hacking attempt and made me mop the whole office floor." She grumbled as she plonked  
herself between Nene and Priss upon the couch.  
Priss raised her finger. "Can we commence the important meeting now?"  
Nene raised an eyebrow, but Sylia sent a look at Nene before any comments were made.  
"Well, yes, we should begin..." Sylia started, and Nene buried herself deeper into the couch.  
"So what is it? The rogue boomer we did yesterday came back alive?" 


	2. Part 2

Overlap Part 2 (Part 2&4 Draft)  
  
  
  
"No, not that kinda thing, Priss!" Nene was indignant.  
"Be quiet and let Sylia speak." A voice rang from behind. It was Nigel.  
"Yes, we've had enough bickering already - and I am expressly surprised at Priss." Linna piped up.  
"Hey! That means that you're always expectation this kinda behaviour from me!"  
Linna started to open her mouth, but Priss cut her to it.  
"Of course, Nene. Remember when¡¦"  
"And could I ask you guys to be QUIET!!!!!" Sylia was fast losing her nerves.  
"I'm sorry. So what is it about?" Priss asked.  
Nene sighed, and Sylia fixed on her a look so devastating Nene cringed into the couch."  
"It's about time. I know we have been driven to the edge of the cliff lately, with one hit after another, not to mention that the AD Police have issued death warrants again. But this meeting is nothing of that; we need to have our new hardsuits fitted,"  
"And we gotta do it fast." Nigel finished the sentence.  
Priss raised a finger. "May I ask a question?"   
Sylia hesitated. "Yes, you may, Priss."  
"Why the sudden need?"  
"Well, you can ask Nene about it - she knows the best in this matter, or at least the areas on which the AD Police is involved in."  
"And may I speak now?" Nene piped up as she slowly straightened herself.  
Sylia nodded.  
"Ok, the storyline is, our info department is collecting data to update our K-Suits to keep up with the higher levels of violence in rogue boomers."  
Everyone groaned. Priss rolled her eyes. "No offence to you, Nene, but what kind of nuts DO they employ at the AD Police?"  
"I know the K-Suit is ineffective, but this has got to have a crucial point; a company called Magitech is manufacturing the prototypes right now."   
"So who is this company called Magitech?" Linna was all curious.  
"I have reason to believe they're at least indirectly related to Genom."  
This set the Knightsabers at instant unease. Would this mean¡¦?  
"Yes." Mackie appeared from the door. 'It means ¡¦"  
  
____________________  
  
I feel a presence in my room.  
I turn around. Lights flick on.  
"My little black angel..." A smiling figure at the doorway.  
Him.  
"How is Tokyo so far?" he asks, as he settles next to me. I shrink away when his arm touches me;   
I am not dressed when I go to sleep, and his arm feels cold.  
"I don't understand," I tell Him, as I look at Him in the eye.   
"Why did you come, when you knew that I am not allowed to receive your orders any longer?"  
He sighs, and turns His face away. "Did Langley command you this?"  
"Yes."  
"You are afraid of Langley and hate Langley?"  
"Yes."  
"Yet you follow her comands."  
"I am commanded to."  
I am screaming in my head,   
"What am I to you?"  
"You're my master."  
"What are you to me?"  
"I am...I am...your slave."  
I keep repeating the call in my head, then I burst out, talking about what was in my head.  
"Oh please don't push it too far...don't!"  
"What is it, child?"  
He looks at me knowingly. Must've been sitting at the back of my mind.  
I look back at him. Should I lie?  
"It's nothing...I am tired that's all..."  
At the same time I am screaming in my head....  
  
But He takes no notice. Instead, He comes closer and closer...  
"Come on, child. You're not afraid of me, aren't you?"  
I call for Langley.  
The response is sharp.  
  
I ask. Was Langley really saying this?  
  
My head is becoming faint and dizzy.  
I close my eyes.  
I tell her I do not know what to do.  
  
My head blurs, all thought becoming twisted beyond, control, beyond humane reason.  
I do not understand, I do not understand...  
  
__________________  
  
People walking across the streets may have seen a white factory boomer slip out of the closed lab doors into the street.  
But then, maybe they haven't.  
We know that it was too late by the time a scream rang out in the back lanes.  
  
__________________  
  
Nene adjusted her helmet.  
"Visor is much stronger and better... It's got more speed potential and seems to be TIGHTLY binding my body...."  
Linna giggled.  
"Just give up those hot snacks alright Nene?"  
Nene glared at Linna, which Sylia noticed.  
"No, the new suits are designed that way. With these suits we are trying a new way of combat."  
Priss looked surprised.  
"What? No more bam-bam kaboom?"  
"No, we're still fighting hand-to-hand, but not as physically."   
Linna turned. "Then what is the new fighting procedure?"  
Sylia looked sideways. "We-ll....You'll find out when we get into action."  
Nigel signalled her to walk away with him, and Sylia followed.  
Turning around at the last minute, Sylia looked hard at Priss.  
"Remember to not lose your cool so easily, Priss. Okay?"  
  
Then the door shut behind Sylia, leaving the Knightsabers all looking at each other.  
"Ok, I wonder what was the reason she fitted us with these hardsuits."  
"Don't you remember, Priss?" Linna, looking confident, followed with the following words -   
"She wanted to try out a new mode of combat."  
"Yeah you're right in that part, Linna, but..." Nene was looking solemn.  
"What do you think it is about?"  
"It's not only about the AD Police, right? We don't usually care so much for them that we  
wear hardsuits exclusively designed to save them from being trapped inside rogue boomers."  
Priss narrowed her eyes. "I begin see where you're hitting at..."  
"And why is Sylia leaving us here with the suits still on? What DID she mean by   
'we'll find out?'It's not as though there's gonna be an emergency... "  
At that moment, an alarm sounded.  
"...was gonna happen right now." Linna finished it for her.   
"Let's get going!" Priss yelled. 'We're gonna HIT IT!"  
The others nodded and set off to launch.  
  
________________  
  
  
-4th February 2040-  
  
I woke.  
  
Now that it is all over, he looks at me.   
Yes, he is looking at me with contempt. Is this what happens in the end?  
I look back at him with scorn and loathing. The same build, the same figure.  
Promises of protection. All dissolved into thin air. Mist.  
  
Langley's command rings in my ear.   
  
I get up. I follow her orders. He says something to me, a mumble to my ears. I do not understand.   
I shouln't understand. It may become a hinderance to my total obdience to Langley.  
I adjust my wristguards. It fits perfectly, like it has always been. I am ready to prowl.  
I jump out the window, unto the rooftop of some building and glide through the air. The  
night air feels crisp upon my ears, and chills my earrings, making my earlobes numb.  
Langley asks me.  
I ask in response,   
Langley does not respond.   
  
But it is of no consquence to me, for I see the Knightsabers just a couple of kilometres away, gliding through the air to the same target:   
a white factory boomer, set up by GENOM to get the Knightsabers captured by the AD Police.  
I look down at the masses of people, who are venturing out for a look despite the danger.  
Was danger a thrill to them? Was looking at the Knightsabers worth a possible gamble with Death?  
I shall never find out. I was not born to find that out anyway.  
  
There are three knightsabers in total: Blue, Green and Red. All three emit a field strangely familiar to me.   
Red's structure is slightly different; perhaps she is not made for combat mode.  
I find that I am wrong however; Red is the first to strike, with a form of laser discharge.  
Point-blank laser discharge. I draw out a tool, and attracted a spent one to come nearer to me. I pick it up.   
It seems to emit a field of its own - possibly to stun the boomer, but not to kill.  
It is not lethal enough. I turn around. A different signal field. What can it mean?  
AD Police - thought comes into my head.  
AD Police. Brown-haired guy with glasses. GENOM. Knightsabers.  
I am now in a confusing position. If I help the brown-haired guy, I will betray hte Knightsabers.  
Shall I help the Knightsabers? I decide yes, and start gaining altitude once more after taking a few shots of he action.  
  
I come to an abandoned street. I hear the sirens in the distance - they are moving this way.  
I lift up my hand, and my eyesight connects to an abandoned boomer part lying on the road.  
It glows blue, and comes to life. Resurrection.  
IT starts sprouting arms and legs. Regeneration.  
I gaze at it. It is fascinating. I enter a single word into its primitive brain.  
The boomer turns, looks and howls. Rogue activity!  
The boomer is growing rapidly, and it soon blocks the road sufficiently. I place barricades around its sides, back, below it and above it.   
Now it has no way to go, cornered by the AD Police. That'll give the Knightsabers enough time.   
The AD Police seem to have inefficient methods and will take half an hour, give or take a few minutes.  
  
The car doors open. This is more interesting than the Knightsabers. I fix a Skylark on the wall  
to capture the Knightsabers' aura prints, and watch the AD Police instead.  
"Rogue boomer! I did not know there was two!" one of them yells.  
"Look up there, that thing in silver and blue! Could that be another Knightsaber?"  
Oh no. that person is pointing to me. Do I look like one? I wonder too. I have personally  
never heard of a silver-and-blue Knightsaber.  
Oh well. Looks like I will have to steal the show this time. I shrug, and go down.  
  
_____________________  
  
Leon was staring intently at the silver and blue figure that was coming down.  
"I never saw that one in my life."  
Daley nodded. "Probably a new one. the suit looks kinda different though."  
"Yes, it does - almost as though it was designed for a different purpose."  
"And look at the attacks. The technique is quite different to the other Knightsabers...  
I have personally never seen one that - Whoa! What is that?!"  
The figure jumped, somersaulted and drew out a chain-type weapon, shaped vaguely like a   
scorpion's tail. One flash, a gleam of the blade and through the boomer's core it went.  
The boomer fell, creating a cloud of dust, and the Knightsaber flew away.  
  
"Geez that was fast," Leon commented after a while.  
"Yeah, speed must be its ga-" Then Daley stopped silent.  
"Ok what is it NOW?" Leon turned around to face Daley.  
Daley pointed at a distant object.  
Leon's eyes followed the finger, and there were the Knightsabers, flying away after the battle.  
"Look...the silver one is not included in the pack."  
"And how do you know that, Daley? You wear glasses, and plus their suits are dark."  
"But not our new Knightsaber, right? And I can't see it."  
"Another thing, how can you be sure it was silver in the first place and not white? The white one has a cloaking device you know."  
Here Daley thought for a moment, then hit upon a new point. "Then have you ever seen the white  
one draw out a weapon shaped like a scorpion's tail?"  
"Okay you got me there, Daley. So what is my wise partner thinking?"   
Daley's eyes narrowed. "I don't know. But I have taken some shots of it - we'll use the projectiles to find out what it is."  
  
____________________  
  
Miraka locked the textiles room from the inside, then ran the Bernina.  
"****ing bastard...What IS his problem?"  
"You don't exactly have to say that, and I think he heard." a voice came from behind.  
  
Miraka turned, and there stood Lionel, just back from Tokyo and looking innocent.  
"Look Mr Kukaracha, if you don't go away now I'll definetely tell Tienx."  
"Oy! Don't diss my surname! Plus, if the plan goes through, Tienx will be Mrs Kuka.."*Slap!*  
"Ok, that hurt. Now there is no need to get so hothea..."*slap!*  
"Stop it!" Lionel rubbed his reddening cheeks. "Now what was THAT for?"  
"Look, will you PLEASE step outside, considering that I am only wearing my petticoat right now  
and you're the cause of it!"  
  
Realisation struck Lionel.   
  
After a few uncomfortable seconds, Lionel started, "Hey you've got a nice..." then he stopped as  
Miraka raised a 2x4 to eye level.  
"'Kay, okay I'm going..."  
Then the door shut, and Miraka pushed the Bernina pedal harder.  
  
____________________  
  
Parking myself in front of the com, I run the aura motion clip.  
Three suited Knightsabers.   
Red one, with cords underneath the outer layer, probably used for direct linking with systems.  
Green one, with 2 cutters coming out of the shoulder that deftly slices the boomer's many arms and legs as it leaps,   
almost like dancing.  
Blue one, leader? Knucklebombers and general hardcore of the hardcore suiting.   
I press replay twice, then three times until it focuses on the scene of the Blue one ripping the core out of the boomer.   
Ripping it out. Must enjoy it to some extent, and not deal it as just a job to be paid in... Do they get paid?   
Then by whom?  
I focused on all three as they entered the scene. A window flashed up. Aura scanning.  
  
The patterns match about 15 likely human matches and 16 different machinery in each one.  
I sit and think. Have I seen this aura pattern somewhere?  
I am not sure, there are limits to a SkyLark at such great distances. It could be anything from boomers to myself to Dr Stingray   
to GENOM to AD Police to....  
My brain hits upon an idea. I scroll down, then get a scanning of my aura.  
Strange warped signals fill the room, and one of the computer window flashes in vivid yellows and  
blacks as it registers my aura and compares it to the Knightsabers.  
I started to feel slightly uncomfortable. Hair at the back of my neck began to rise.  
Images form in my head. A bald girl, a disgusting half-human, half-boomer thing that looked  
like the bald girl, a boy with blue eyes, a motorcycle.....drum set, high heels, lipstick,  
computers, a marine creature...  
  
I began to link the images.  
  
Bald girl - half-boomer thing - marine creature - boy with blue eyes  
boy with blue eyes - computer - marine creature - motorcycle - bald girl  
motorcycle - drum set - high heels - bald girl  
  
No, this is not enough. I need more, as much as I can get from these auras.  
Pink - red - marine creature - computers - Knightsaver - boy with blue eyes...BINGO!  
Now I guess. GENOM is out of the question, as they handle the boomers violently and did not try to destroy remaining evidence.   
Who could Red, then be related to?  
My brain brings up a linear chain of reasoning.  
computers - internet - linking priority - information access priority - all data access -   
I point a finger, and the search response came up.  
  
  
  
Although the AD Police and the Knightsabers are pole-to-pole enemies, it is worth a mention.  
I smile, and pack a disk containing the aura clip, now converted to video image, and send it to  
the AD Police.  
  
______________ 


	3. Part 3

Overlap Part 3 - corresponds to drafts part 6 & 7.  
  
***********  
  
Ka-thump.   
Ka-thump.  
The rhythmic beating of a remote central core could be heard even above the whir of the machines in the basement level.  
Boomers scurried back and forth, carrying document copies, coffee, aspirin and machinery parts.  
  
Thalassa tapped her fingers nonchantly to the beat, whilst leaning on her desk by one elbow.  
That durned assistant boomer STILL haven't brought the letter - it was 5 minutes before the thing left to retrieve it.  
She wondered what had happened to it - the core was beating fine, ka-thump, ka-thump... just like it has always been.   
So what was the delay?  
At that moment, a whir she knew approached her.  
"I'm sorry for the delay ma'am." the boomer apologised.  
Thalassa said nothing, but drew out her hand.  
"There has been no mail, but actually a voice recording. That was why I took so long."  
"Fine with me. what was it about? You know I wouldn't be asking you if this room's system wasn't down." Thalassa retorted while  
tapping her finger at the desk, in tune with the core once more. Kathump, kathump...Could it be beating just a little faster?  
Thalassa looked up, her eyes widening slightly. the boomer's back was turned to her, still and in a slightly hunched position.  
'Oh, no, it cannot be...' Thalassa silently prayed.  
  
The boomer straightened up, and turned to face Thalassa.  
  
Thalassa gasped.  
  
The boomer lashed out.  
  
Thalassa screamed.  
  
__________________  
  
Daley was looking at the photos of the Silver Knightsaber, concentrating on the strange weapon it had.  
"It kinda looks like one of those weapons you get from the Chinese metalsmiths in the mafia-related areas of Beijing.   
Looks like it's made out of no ordinary metal, seems to be retractable and relies heavily on centrifugal force to drive the blade into the target...hmm.   
Better ask Nene to get these images analysed for closer detail." Daley muttered.  
Leon came up, and coughed."Ah-hem. Am I interrupting your research?"  
"So how did it go?" Daley asked without taking his eyes off the photos.  
"Ah, the frustrating usual routine. You know, go paranoid about it for a while, media silenced then everyone is back to normal again.  
The silver one is causing quite an outrage among the public though. No photos, just witnesses.   
Of course, the media treats it like UFO sightings, you know, human interest."  
"Izat so?" Daley looked up to Leon. "What is the disk in you hand got to do with it?"  
"Oh, this?" Leon scratched his head and smiled. "Some person sent it into the ADP. Arrived this morn post.   
It contains unusually clear images of the Knightsabers, and I was just about to hobble to Nene's cubicle to ask her to analyze the thing."  
"I see. When you go there, could you also ask her to analyse these pics for me?"  
Leon shrugged. "Dunno. Nene's in a funny mood nowadays. Happy one day, then goes more rogue than a boomer the next. I'll try, so follow me."  
"Yes, sir!" Daley smiled, and followed Leon while adjusting his glasses.  
  
__________________  
  
Linna was mopping up the third floor again.  
"Damn that executive! I wish he wasn't so much of a pervert AND a tattletale!"  
"And I think I heard that," the executive responded.  
"Oh yea? Then what the hell are you gonna do about it, SIR???" Linna snapped back.  
"Whoa, whoa, don't be so snappy...." The executive waved his hand, and stepped back.  
Linna rolled her eyes. What a pathetic wuss.  
  
__________________  
  
  
Nene yawned, stretched and yawned again. So much for daytime catch-up work.  
She opened her bag, and had just gotten out a packet of strawberry Peperos when Leon crooned:  
"Oh Ne-Ne.....!"  
"Whoa!" Nene dropped the packet, which Daley picked up.   
Nene glared at both Leon and Daley.  
"Why won't you two EVER let me have a delicious moment, just me and my snacks! Give them back this instant!"  
Leon and Daley nudged each other and chuckled. "Oh was that a command? Geez Nene you're so scary..." Then they burst into hysterics.  
Nene stood defiantly, arms akimbo. "Okay, what DO you imbeciles WANT???"  
Daley nudged Leon. "Sir, the opposition is willing to negotiate. Shall we state out deal? Bwahaha!!!"  
Leon opened his mouth, but Nene beat him to a fraction of a second.  
"One more jest and I'll tell Priss!"  
Leon's face turned scarlet. Daley chuckled. "Oh so what is this Priss thingy that's been going on, huh?   
You haven't even told your PARTNER yet! It's that important I guess?"  
"Shut up Daley! It's more serious stuff you wouldn't know about!" Then Leon turned to Nene. "Oh Nene dear, I was just wondering..."  
"Yes, you were just wondering if I would analyze those clips for you huh? Gimme them! And the Peperos!"   
Nene lunged at the packet and the disks, and was successful at the second attmept.  
"Now go along and play, Leon-chan, while I DO THE WORK!!!"  
Leon pulled a face, and was about to lunge at Nene but Daley had caught him in the nick of time.  
"C'mon Leon, she's doing us a favor - again." Daley repeated over and over to Leon while dragging him up the walkway by the ear.  
Nene glared after them for a while, then opened the packet, slid the disks in and started munching away like mad.  
  
___________________  
  
  
  
The sound of a single gunshot was echoing in the hallways when Thalassa woke up, and found herself staring up the barrel  
of a skinny Colt revolver, held in the steady hands of Langley Herself.  
Thalassa first looked at the dead boomer, then at the gun, and shook her head in disbelief.  
"Ok Langley, just how'd you do that?"  
Langley grinned mischivously, but said nothing.  
"C'mon...How?"  
"And not even a thank-you kiss for saving your sorry life, darling?"  
And with that, Langley leaned over the desk to Thalassa so close, Thalassa blushed crimson, then burst out laughing as  
Langley drew back.  
  
"We-ll, at least you haven't lost your laugh yet." Langley smiled."But you still owe me a lot."  
Thalassa rolled her eyes. 'Get ON with it, Langley."  
"Ok, I'll explain how." With that, Langley bent down to pick up a glowing green object from the pool of dark liquid  
that spilled out of the neat hole she made in the boomer's core.   
"See this masterpiece? It's a real beauty - Tienx created it. Here, catch."   
Then she threw the object to Thalassa and turned away, walking to the door.  
Thalassa caught it, and surveyed the object closely.  
"It's shaped vaguely like a bullet, but it's longer and hollow, more like a tube..."  
  
Langley stopped at the doorway, and turned around to face Thalassa once more.  
"It's made from a spent laser discharge Tienx picked up in her last encounter with the Knightsabers. She got curious I  
suppose, and decided to make a present of it to me. What it does now? It pierces through the armour and flesh of the  
boomer so that the explosive ceramic-tipped bullet can take a direct hit at the core without glancing off the armour and  
smashing in the middle of nowhere. I leave it up to you to find out what it exactly is made out of, and plus you should   
be following her good example. Tienx doesn't question me and she does her quota, and I think she is the gem of the crown,  
not like you, Thalassa. You're lazy, you question me all the time and you even get away with it!"  
Langley turned back, stepped out of the office and slammed the door.  
  
"Jeezuz she's hotheaded," Thalassa chuckled to herself.  
Now that she was alone, analysing the damage was more easily done.   
Dead boomer with dark liquid spilling out, papers scattered all over the floor.   
The case holding the remote core was broken, but the now rogue core held in place, still beating in a now  
erratic beat of its own.   
Thalassa willed a part of the dead boomer to move close to it, and the core shot out tentacles to absorb the part.  
  
"Cool, what HAPPENED here???"   
The door opened, letting in Damien, Shinhyun and Lionel. Damien and Shinhyun looked around the place, while Lionel was rubbing  
his cheeks and putting on a "sad face".  
Thalassa grinned. "Do you guys go around doing nothing all day?"   
"No, Thalassa. You're very wrong if you say that. Lemme just talk about what our Lionel here has been up to - in a locked room  
with Miraka!" Shinhyun replied, with his own eyebrow-up hint-giver indicating that Lionel's current injury was related to this.  
"Oh, and can I trust your source?" Thalassa squinted her eyes.  
"Sure you can! So long as my name is Shinhyun, and engaged to Victoria!"  
"Ay shaddup.." Lionel growled, still rubbing his red and swollen cheeks. "Man why do girls have to be so tough nowadays? I prefer  
the good ol' days..."  
Thalassa glared at all three, and they all shut up instantly.  
"Get back to the conference room all of you! I need to do work!"  
  
_______________  
  
Yet another marvellous debate was going on in THE CONFERENCE ROOM.  
  
"I represent the interests of Commander Lee, and I would like to have a few minutes in representing his chiefmost  
viewpoints upon this matter."  
Tia glared at Hya, but she did not get rejected for some unknown reason. Backward money trips?  
"You may proceed." The conference administrator for the week, Samuel, then put up his hand to silence all others.  
Una rolled her eyes.  
Tia pulled a face and winked at Don.   
Don passed the signal to Lynne and Dwayne.  
Dwayne passed it over to Anxi, and Anxi stood up.  
"I would like to object to this hearing, Administrator."  
Samuel sighed. This seemed to happen EVERY DAY!  
"What is the objection?"  
Anxi raised her left hand, and in a defiance view of the whole audience, introduced herself.  
"I represent the interests of Supreme Commander Langley Satir, who directly controls 35% of this organisation, and  
who should have been the chiefmost to be consulted in such a delicate matter - referring the control of this matter  
directly to Commander Lee and his secretary does not seem justified in my humble opinion. Furthermore, I would like to  
inform all members who have attended this conference at this hour of the Supreme Commander's chiefmost viewpoints and   
interests."  
Una started opening a packet of caramel corn. This debate was gonna be interesting.  
Don and Dwayne passed a hi-five behind their backs, and Lynne excused herself to "freshen up" while the main heat of the  
debate starts raging.   
After all, it does get hot in the conference room.  
  
________________  
  
Linna was mopping up the third floor again.  
"Damn that executive! I wish he wasn't so much of a pervert AND a tattletale!"  
"And I think I heard that," the executive responded.  
"Oh yea? Then what the hell are you gonna do about it, SIR???" Linna snapped back.  
"Whoa, whoa, don't be so snappy...." The executive waved his hand, and stepped back.  
Linna rolled her eyes. What a pathetic wuss.  
  
_______________  
  
  
Across the street, I see a boutique. The most exotic and revealing designs of night-garments hang in the window. Strangely, this is a place where  
I feel a familiar aura. It's like the red one, but only much stronger and with a different twist to the patterns the aura makes.  
It's kind of like....mine.  
I read the sign. SILKY DOLL.   
Interesting name. I can already suspect the speciality garment ranges.  
I go through the doors. There are many other women who are browsing through the store.   
People meander from the evening gown section to smart suits, and from swimwear to lingerie, leather gear etc.  
A full-figured woman greets me. Light blue hair in neat hairclip resembling a ribbon, smart pigeon/ostrich coloured suit.  
Langley's message echoes in my head, and blocked out what this Miss Stingray was saying.  
I lean slightly closer, asking "I beg your pardon? I've missed what you have just said."  
"Oh, I was just asking whether you needed assistance. So what was it that you were looking for?"  
I do not understand. I call for Langley's help.  
Langley replies.  
I make a calculation at ultra-speed, then answer Sylia.   
"I was wondering if there were any new things arriving for this season. You see, my boyfriend is hard to please."  
At the same time I think in my head, 'Jeezuz Christ, what am I saying? He doesn't care for silky finery, and he isn't my BF in the first place!'  
  
Sylia said something, which I missed again. This time, I take a blind guess - no time for applied inference logic now.  
"Actually, my boyfriend is a kinda conservative person...."  
"Then I have just the thing for you - come here." With that, Miss Stingray drags me by the arm.  
Oh my gosh, what have I got myself into?  
  
_________________  
  
Nene was awestrtuck at the clarity of the images.  
"Wow, considering the 1:30 am fog, these images are amazingly clear - it's almost as though it was taken in broad daylight! Must be a professonal who took this,  
he or she must have been waiting to capture us in best composition, it looks like, not as evidence pics..."  
Then Nene clicked on a part to look at more closely.  
"Hey, wait...You can kinda see through the visor at this angle, which is impossible, but you still can! What kind of camera is this? This wasn't taken from an   
ordinary camera!"  
Nene's eys widened in shock.  
"Ok, maybe I'll cool down. Time to do the other stuff. Hmm...What's this? Looks kinda like...A new Knightsaber? Can't be!"  
Nene stared at the images as they appeared, 5x magnification, one by one on the screen.  
"Oh my god, oh my god...I gotta talk to Sylia!"  
Nene ran out of her cubicle with her weasel and bag, down the walkway, shoving past Leon and Daley.  
As the streak went past, Leon asked Daley "What was that?"  
Daley replied, 'I dunno. Probably Nene trying to lose some weight. She eats too much of those Peperos I fear."  
Both stared at the figure of Nene as she disappeared into the distance.  
  
_______________  
  
Linna was leaving the high-rise tower for lunch break.  
She walked out into the street, and saw Priss just parking her motorcycle.  
"Heard of the rumour?" Priss asked, taking off her helmet.  
"Yea, about a new Knightsaber, whoever she is. The whole floor was rocking with the conversation. I think I asked too much - my executive told the boomer I wasn't doing work, so I spent the day cleaning.   
I gotta go back for an hour though after this - Cleaning up doesn't mean I get a break from work."  
"I sympathise with you, having to put up with those bastards. Why don't you try the fist treatment to them?"  
"Well, actually, I did a couple of times, but the effects seem to be temporary." Linna shrugged.  
  
Linna looked up to the sky. It was a cloudy day; but rays of sun was peeking over the silvery mists up yonder.  
"I wonder who the new so-called Knightsaber is, and what her goals are."  
"Well at least we can rule out being a superhero, since she hadn't shown up as much, just a quick hit and run."  
Linna blushed. "Well, let's drop that subject. So...Whall we eat?"  
  
_______________  
  
Miss Stingray ran her figer through the vivid colours of silk and lace until she found what she was looking for.  
"Here, why don't you try this? This will hang nicely on you - you've got lovely sloping shoulders."  
"Er, thanks. Where can I try it on?" Am I blushing? Why am I blushing?  
"Over there." Miss Stingray pointed to one of the doors on the left.  
"Thank you." I stammer. Miss Stingray smiles.  
"Also, if you want, I can also show you other accessories that go with it..."  
"Er...I'll see about that later."  
  
I go into the change rooms, and choose the one at the corner.   
As I lock the door, I felt - a field. I shrug. It cannot be, for security cameras cannot be here. Or can they?  
The garment does hang quite nicely, I observe in the mirror. Not as skimpy as He'd like it,   
but it DOES look nice... Especially the studs and spikes in certain areas...  
An idea flash through my head. I yell in my head to Langley to change the plan a little.  
  
I change back, and come out to be greeted by the smiling Miss Stingray.  
"So how did you like it? Not quite the thing, this white leather. But as you can see,   
conservative isn't exactly in the catalogues this season."  
I blush again. This time, it's not only Him whose neck I want to break. It's Langley's as well.  
"No, it was rather fine, actually. So what are those accessories you were talking about?"  
Miss Stingray again leads me by the arm, and I half-follow and half-drag behind her.  
  
______________  
  
Mason stood in front of the high doors of the chairman's lair.  
An assistant, a green-haired boomer, walked up to him.   
Her heels made a strange clack-clack sound that echoed in the empty hallway.  
"The Chairman is getting stranger and stranger every minute, I do not know what to make of him, sir."  
"It's only natural that he is getting stranger. After all, he is quite old." Mason replied, as he adjusted his watch.  
The blue-haired boomer laid a fixed stare upon Mason.   
Mason looked up. "What is it, you golem?"  
The boomer's eye glinted.  
Mason took out his handgun and fired a shot.  
The boomer staggered back.  
"I am not a golem," she said.  
Mason fired another shot.  
"I am not a golem, I am..."  
The boomer collapsed to the floor, and the red-haired assistant walked up to him.  
"Observe." Mason ordered.  
"Yes sir," the boomer replied.  
"This is what happens to those who dieobey me. Make it an example."  
"Yes sir," was the reply.  
A moment later, the heavy doors opened, and Mason stepped into the chamber.  
  
______________  
  
When I leave Miss Stingray's boutique, I find that I am the last customer to leave for the day.  
I take a glance at the large aquarium/swimming pool. The pool never grabbed my interest before, but now it does.  
The pool is telling me something. A figment of the aura reading flashes through my head, clear and striking as lightning.  
Marine creature! Yes, that was it!  
I look around to pierce together more clues. Just in case Miss Stingray would find it strange, I ask questions about materials and pricing of garments etc.  
Miss Sylia responds happily, for I am one of her favourite customers from now on, as it seemed.   
  
As I step outside the building, I find a girl running towards us - no, just Miss Stingray was what the girl seems to want. Short blonde hair, azure eyes.  
the sleeve of an ADP uniform peeks out from her bag. The way she runs is strangely familiar to me. Have I seen this person run before?  
As she huffs and puffs in front of us, I examine her more closely. Not more than twenty by her looks, likes junk food and the flashing of her azure eyes show a  
supreme intelligence. Memeory sticks and mini-disks seem to be in her bag - the jagged outline at the pockets is most interesting. A hacker? Probably.  
I detect her aura faintly. Computers, images of the Knightsabers I sent. Could she be the Red one?  
I excuse myself and leave, promising Miss Stingray that I'd drop by sometime this week, for I have already seen enough.  
Miss Stingray ushers the Red one in; the shutter closes as I watch from a safe distance.  
I turn and walk away. Now all I need is the missing clues.  
  
______________  
  
Linna was just leaving the office when Priss's motorcycle screeched into view.  
"Oh thank god you're here to pick me up, Priss," Linna managed to gasp out.  
"Well let's get going. I don't know what Sylia is so paranoid about, but I am sure it's something important."  
The motorcycle sped away.  
  
____________  
  
I adjust my wristguards.  
Something tells me that a boomer will go rogue within 4 hours, and this time I want to have a good close look at the Knightsabers.  
I needed to find out how Miss Stingray is linked to the three, apart from forming the organisation, which was quite obvious   
from the manner which the blonde girl treated her.  
Wait a sec, the blonde girl? I hadn't bothered to find out her name yet?  
I turn on the com, and quickly hunt up a search for back doors in all ADP departments.  
Name: AdminYr2040 Passcode: txranti-boomer.  
That was relatively easy, acquiring an administrative username and passcode. After all, there is no greater computer than the human brain.  
A name search pops up, and I do a backward search.  
Another window pops up.  
I scroll down. The face of the girl is smiling at me.  
{Nene Romanova, age 17. ADP Information Department.}  
  
'That's all I need,' I thought as I jumped out of the window, straight into the late afternoon fog. 


	4. Part 4

Overlap Part 4. Corresponds to draft part 8.  
  
__________  
  
Sylia was looking concerned over Nene when she came to consciousness.  
"Nene, what happened?" Sylia asked. Did Nene know that she had a serious injury?  
Nene straightened herself up, sitting upon the bed and faced Sylia.  
"Sylia, something definitely weird is going around the city. What's more, I think someone knows about our identity."  
Sylia's eyes widened just a bit. "Well what exactly makes you think that way, Nene?"  
  
Here Nene mumbled a gusto of words Sylia could not understand, then her voice suddenly became louder and clearer, as though  
she was straining to make herself heard.  
"I found...Pictures of us. And there is a new "Knightsaber" out there in the city. I couldn't find out how they were taken   
nor where they exactly came from, but I know the new "Knightsaber" is real enough.   
I have traced our shots as far as I can go, but it only rounds up to a Yahoo e-mail address, made in a Net cafe."  
  
Sylia nodded and stroked Nene's face.   
"Well what you cannot find out, I cannot find out. However, this new Knightsaber... When did this happen?   
I knew something was up when people started talking about her in my boutique, but I didn't realise she  
actually existed. Well, Nene, I think you need to rest your nerves for a while. I have reason to believe that you're an invalid  
for the moment."  
  
Mackay came into the room. Seeing him, Nene sighed, then laid back upon the pillow.  
"Uh, Nene, would you like some water or anything?" Eager to please Nene in any way, Mackay was choosing his words carefully.  
"No, thank you...I am quite all right, Mackay, and that'll be MISS Nene..." Here Nene grimaced as she sat up.   
Mackay made a move to assist her, but Nene just smiled and waved her hand.  
"No, I really am all right, just got exhausted from running all the way here from the ADP tower, that's all."  
Sylia's eyes widened again in surprise. 'So Nene doesn't realise she has been injured?' She thought.  
Sylia smiled and stood up. "Well, I've got to do some stocktaking...Why don't you two talk, so long as Mackay is not needed too  
much by Nigel of course."  
  
Nene opened her mouth in slight protest, but Sylia was already opening the door.  
"Well, I'll see you tonight. And Mackay, take care of Nene."  
"Yes, Sylia," Mackay responded.  
Sylia smiled once more, and the door closed, leaving Nene and Mackay in the room.  
  
____________  
  
I turn, slicing the wind and falling into the jungle of buildings. No rogue boomer yet.   
It almost looks as though I might need to start on No.2 of my priority list.  
I sigh, and turn towards the GENOM tower, the center of all evils in this city that's very obvious. As I get closer, the massiveness only  
seems to trap the little bit of freedom in me. It has no majestic air, this building - only a very foul one.  
I attach the Skylark to my visor, and soon I am able to detect faint goings-on in the building. There are boomers being manufactured   
in the underground levels; you can see when these things are being stamped with quality control, the quality control system has been tampered  
with.  
  
All these scenes spell doom in uppercase lettering to me; a total stranger in the city.  
Don't all the other people realise yet? Or do they simply not care about probably anything much at all?  
  
I rise up to one of the upper levels.   
There is a large office, with a mahogany desk and a black leather chair, all very expensive. I survey the office carefully.   
The laptop on the desk seems to be linked to all the coms in the building - only if I can hack through it...  
The door opens, and a blue-haired boomer enters the office. I use a cloaking device, but the boomer is not fooled.   
She walks up to the window, and punches a fist through! But the window however does not shatter; it forms some kind of hole around her hand.   
It's almost as though she was punching through water, not bulletproof glass.   
I stand fascinated, forgetting for a moment what was going on.  
  
The hand stretches, closing itself around my neck. It is strangling me!   
I panic. I cannot breathe; my neck is not protected under this suit model, and I stupidly omitted to wear the collar.   
I think fast. It would take at least thirteen seconds before the boomer will gather   
enough force upon her stretched wrist to break my neck.  
  
I reach down into my backpack, and pull out a laser cylinder. I raise it until the red dot of the laser focuses on the boomer's left eye.  
I press the switch with all my energy.  
A beam of light invisible to the human eye, streams out of the cylinder, and the boomer stands frozen.  
Taking the chance, I rip her hand off my neck, and pull at the hand, hoping all the while that it does not stretch any more.  
Breathing deeply, I drag out the boomer. Strangely, the hole closed after her, and the glass is now hard as diamonds once more.  
I let go of the boomer. She falls, down and down into the street below, but her blue hair is still caught in my hand.  
I was just about to let the wig drop as well, but I change my mind and throw it in amongst the other tools in my pack.  
I open my left wristguard, and change the suit settings. It remodels itself, turning me into a perfect copy of the boomer I   
destroyed just before.  
I smile, and walk through the glass as though it was just water.  
  
Now that I am in the office, I take one more look before changing back, just to make sure that everything is as it was before.  
The laptop is on the desk, and the screen comes on as I point my finger at it.  
I open a couple of windows as I change back. Nothing much catches my interest.  
Then I sigh, and make the sign of the cross, like He taught me to do in a time long, long ago.  
"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit..." I whisper, but somehow a lump in my throat prevents me from saying  
Amen. I am not surprised however; this has happened before.  
'You take over now, Langley,' I whisper in my head.  
Suddenly, I lost control of my body, and the vision dims, everything swirling around me, just like the night when He came.  
I stagger, then straighten myself up. No, I cannot do this again! I am human, not a machine!  
  
  
Too late! Too late!...everything is becoming faint now...  
  
_____________  
  
"Mason, I believe those Knightsabers are INCREASING. You are doing your job in destroying them I hope, before they destroy too many  
of my boomers. Go, and find out all you can about the new one. It is probably inexperienced. Perhaps you might capture it, and give me the joy  
of seeing a Knightsaber face to face. It is time you take control of this problem, Mason. I am not..."  
Here the Chairman took a deep breath, and started coughing again.  
Mason bowed.  
"I shall do as you say."  
Mason turned, and walked out.  
  
__________  
  
Langley stretched herself full in the Control capsule. She needed to concentrate hard, otherwise it'll all be in vain.  
Optical cables connected to her bare body, first the forehead, arms, torso then the legs. Now she was floating in midair,   
and a current dangerous enough to kill three elephants at once swirled around her like jellyfish tentacles, free  
of any form of wires or cables.  
Langley concentrated harder, and now light flooded her body from the optical cable endings.  
I am taking over, Tienx.  
The light suddenly dimmed, just a little, but brightened again.  
  
  
_______________  
  
The boomer slammed unto the footpath. People were gasping, trying to move away from its way. The boomer, rising up with hardly a scratch,  
glared at the people, then stretched its hand out to grab at an unlucky child.  
The child squirmed and resisted for a while, then a violent tremor ran through her body and all was still. A woman shrieked and fainted.  
"Someone call the AD Police!" A man yelled, trembling.  
  
________________  
  
Linna ran into the boutique, through the mirrored door and down the elevator.  
The door finally opened after what seemed to be like half a century, and Linna ran out, straight into the already-suited Priss.  
"Yikes! Sorry Priss!" Linna gasped.  
"I'm fine, the hardsuits are designed to have more weight slamming upon them, " Priss cooly replied, and walked off to launch.  
"Where's Nene?"   
"She's sick. Mackay is looking after her."  
The door slid close after Priss, and Linna ran into the changeroom.  
  
______________  
  
The red-haired assistant approached Mason.  
"Yes, I do know that the Stingray woman is getting impatient with me, and wants a one-on-one discussion."  
"Will you be seeing her soon, sir?"  
"No, I'll wait until she becomes very impatient. Why, I believe that is her just over there in my office."  
Mason pointed at the screen, at a woman in hardsuit, poring over the laptop.  
"Hm." Twisting his face into a sardonic smile, Mason sopke to himself.   
"I know you want to see me, Sylia, but it's not time yet."  
  
___________  
  
Priss dropped a neat punch into the boomer's shoulder. Her knucklebombers had made a large hole, which was sealed up almost instantly.  
The boomer leapt up and placed an equally effective punch into Priss's shoulder.  
Priss dodged a second punch, and the two jumped away from each other, Priss puffing, but the boomer displayed neither simulated  
anger nor exhaustion. In fact, there was no strange glint from its eye, nor did it show anything typical for a rogue boomer yet.  
  
'Damn! This boomer is NOT rogue!' thought Priss as another of her punches made insignificant marks upon the boomer.  
This boomer was unlike any other boomers she had fought with before. Calm and collected, her femimine figure had made a graceful assasin  
out of the metallic creature, landling blows after blows that were equally as well aimed and planned as her own.  
Both the boomer and Priss skidded around in a circle, and the circle was now getting tighter and tigheter.  
It would soon be crash time, Priss knew, and this would decide the winner.  
  
Priss sped up.  
The boomer sped up also.  
Three seconds before they meet, two, one...Hiyaaah!  
Damn! The blow had glanced off and the target regenerated again!  
Priss could feel the strength being lapped out of her.   
She closed her eyes, listening once more for a sound, a voice.  
Why was Linna taking so long? Any moment now her battery would run out, and she would lose to a boomer - for the first and the last time.  
  
To be honest, Priss did not want to think what would happen if she had lost.   
Since that had never happened, she wondered how her final days would end, and how the rest of the world would feel about it.  
The promised world tour with Sekiria's members.  
Will they simply find a new lead vocal?  
Sylia, Linna, and Nene.   
Would they still go on as Knightsabers? Without her? And find a replacememt soon?  
Priss opened her eyes. No, she didn't need to know that.  
All that matter now is to fight this boomer.  
She braced herself as the boomer moved in to make another attack upon her.  
  
____________  
  
A map flashed across Linna's visor. A red dot between some alleyways.   
This must be where Priss is, she thought as she made her way there.   
  
Although the suit was able to move at speeds almost as fast as a Lear 35A when airborne, the trip took up quite a time, what with having  
to lower to the ground and setting off again, looking in every alleyway to see whether there was a boomer there. After the fifth touchdown,  
Linna almost decided on not looking them up - no sign of boomer, or any fighting.  
Then something made the hair on the back of her head rise up. A tingling sensation at the back, almost as though a blade was aimed there.  
Premonition of Danger.  
Linna turned around. Sure, there was the boomer, glaring its green eyes out at her.  
But still no sigh of Priss.  
Linna turned her body around to face the boomer, and realised it wasn't an ordinary boomer, but two boomers fusing together.  
One of the boomers looked surprisingly like a K-suit.  
And inside, there was an ADP official, struggling for life.  
  
Linna panicked, and turned around. Surely there were other ADP vehicles and officers in the area, not knowing what to do.  
This must have been going on for at least three minutes, Linna thought as she set the time on the watch. A digital timer appeared on the right  
corner of her visor.  
Linna grimaced, then ran into the fusing boomers, slamming her body against them.  
  
____________  
  
Tienx-Langley looked up as Mason entered the office, followed by the red-haired boomer.  
"I see we meet again...wait a second! You're not Sylia, are you??"  
Tienx-Langley removed her helmet, showing off her tumbling golden wave of hair.  
"No, I am not, and I do not believe this hair colour will look anything like Miss Sylia Stingray's hair."  
She smiled, and her smile showed pure defiance of Mason and his boomer assistant.  
"Then who may you be?" Mason squinted his eyes.   
Tienx-Lalngley caught a slight movement of his hand directing the boomer on what to do while he bought time with aimless conversations.  
"My name is Tienx. But then, my name could also be Langley."  
"And what have you against GENOM?"  
Here Tienx-Langley smiled. "Will this explain all my grudges?"   
She threw a card upon the desk, and Mason glanced at the card.  
"I see a reason."  
Tienx-Langley was surprised, and it showed plainly upon her face. "You do? But I thought..."  
  
_____________  
  
Nene stood up, then walked to the change rooms.   
"I must get into the suit, Mackay. Linna and Priss must be waiting."  
Mackay was almost in tears. "But Nene, you're not well! You should be resting, not going out there risking your life! Plus, Sylia said..."  
"Oh who gives a damn about what she says NOW???" Nene's voice was getting harsher.   
She staggered, grimacing from the pain. What was this pain? Where was it coming from?  
Nene looked down at her right leg, and saw a huge bloody gash upon her leg, coming down from her thigh down almost to her ankles.  
"What happened...Here?"  
"You were like that when you came in. Sylia and I noticed it, but I thought you knew."  
Nene pulkled a face, then shrugged her shoulders. After all, this slight injury shouldn't put any strain on her performance...  
"Look, Mackay, I must do this. Sylia chose me to do this and if I fail her now..."  
Mackay looked at Nene, and sighed.  
"Nene, I will get you launched. Just be careful of yourself, alright?"  
  
___________  
  
Adrian was now slamming his fist against the door in some sort of a maniac frenzy.  
Someone grabbed at his collar.   
Adrian spun around, only to face Sara Estella.  
"Please don't disturb Langley, sir."  
Adrian glared at Sara Estella, but Sara Estella was unmoved.  
"She knows what she is doing. You're a civillian now, and you oughta know Langley can take care of herself by now."  
"And what have you in this muddy pit, child?" He was fuming. These women...What was their secrets? Why did they hang about Langley?  
"All I can tell you for the moment sir, is that you'll regret the moment you walk into the chamber. What do you think the lightning  
flashing in the chamber is, other than Langley's own memories forming a chapel around Langley to protect herself? I do not think you'd like  
to be consumed by her own memories...Would you?"  
  
Adrian slipped out his Glock, and aimed it at Sara Estella's forehead.  
"I know you know more about this. How about we just get to the bottom of it?"  
Sara Estella smiled, and pushed the barrel away. "I wouldn't make such a foolish move, sir. Nasty noisy things, aren't they?"  
She was now smiling, and she took the gun into her hands. "Strange...You have a Glock, and if I remember right, Langley has got that skinny  
Colt revolver...But it was Langley who stood to the duel, not you. Why is that?"  
Here Sara Estella took a somewhat sad expression upon her face.  
"Did I tell you...Langley was my mother? My biological mother?"  
Surprise registered upon Adrian's face.  
"Yes," Sara Estella nodded. "Langley actually had two previous pregnancies. The first one, the misacrriage. The second one brought me here."  
Now she took one step forward, her face almost touching his.  
"Neat secret huh? Did you know about all those details? No, I am positive you don't, you were away on one mission after another."   
Then Sara Estella suddenly stepped back, leaning her back against the wall.  
"Or did you just not want to know about THAT kind of truth?"  
"Did you care about Langley? Did you know that I existed? Would you have come back here earlier if you knew I was here?"  
"..."  
"Hah! So many questions, yet so little answers! You're supposed to answer all that for me, you're my father! My biological father! I can call   
you father, or did anyone say I can't?"  
"..."  
"I know about what happened with the 'miscarriage,' [I]father[/I]. Which I suppose wouldn't surprise you much, because everyone else knows about it  
except Langley. But then, I'll tell you what: She knows. That's how I know. She told me."  
"..."  
"So now that we're all here, what have we gained and lost by all this? Do we have anything left? Do you know Langley's preganant again,   
and it is her third month now?"  
"..."  
"From the beginning of our lives, me and Tamaritha, we have been really thankful that you and Langley took us in, useless nagging brats as we were.  
We tried to make up for the whole thing, and didn't care all that much about how you two treated us, just thankful you two let us live. Thankful.  
Just that. Now that we all know, will you try to make it up for us? Take us to amusement parks or something?"  
  
Adrian still said nothing, but took out some rope from his pocket.  
Sara Estella's eyes widened, maybe just a little.   
Adrian smiled with a murderer's eyes. "A gun may be a threat, but a rope is for real... Did Langley ever tell you that?"  
Sara Estella did not say anything, and on her face now settled a determined expression.  
  
A single moan of "Father..."  
The horrid sound of a breaking bone followed...two fatal minutes later.  
  
____________  
  
Priss's battery was waning, and she could feel every weakening pulse it gave out.  
"Sylia, I just thought you wanted to know, there's no need to send in others. Too late anyway.  
I'll try to finish off the boomer." 


	5. Part 5

______________  
  
Linna slammed into the boomer, again and again, finally breaking off the link between the core and the K-suit.  
"Yes, I did it!" She yelled as she fished out the terrified ADP official and set him down on the ground.  
Linna switched to communicate with Mackay.  
"Mackay, where is Priss? Tell her I am going there!"  
"She should be around the outside of GENOM tower - last transmission was almost an hour ago, when she arrived on the scene."  
Linna jumped over a three-storey building and soared into the sky.  
"Wait for me Priss! I am coming your way!"  
  
______________  
  
The battery was dead three seconds ago, and Priss could not move.  
Strike after strike, the boomer attacked her, cracking her helmet and almost crushing her body against the wall.  
"Looks like I end here, Sylia. I wonder if you heard my last message."   
Priss groaned as she gritted her teeth against yet another strike the boomer made, which created massive gashes upon her hardsuit.   
Soon, the suit will give way, and...  
  
_____________  
  
"Okay Mackay, Where is Priss and Linna?" Nene asked over the comm.  
"They should be around the GENOM tower...Whoa? A message from Priss? I'llcheck this out, Nene, but it's still from the same location  
as I told you - just go there for now."   
Nene smiled, and ran to the tower. People shoved past each other to see the red Knightsaber in action, and Nene could not help but feel  
like a celebrity.  
  
_____________  
  
"How much of Magitech do you own?"  
Tienx-Langley took out the floppy disks and looked at Mason - No, Brian Mason, the professor and once fanatic of Dr Stingray.  
"I own about half - a quarter of Magitech's employees are my own agents. Any of these names familiar?"  
Tienx-Langley threw a list upon Mason's hands, then drew a cigarrette case.   
"Do you fancy Kent? They're hard to get nowadays."  
Mason hardly heard her question - he was too busy staring at the list of the names and blaming himself for the lack of security.  
"What is it?"  
"I asked if smoking was acceptable upon your code of behaviour which you so rigouriously place upon yourself -   
surely a cigarrette could do no harm?"  
Mason started. How did she know what I was thinking?  
"I see Kent is not favourable to your perception of good and bad. Oh well, you don't know what you're missing out on."  
  
"What exactly do you want?" Mason was fuming, ready to strike out at any moment.  
"The money of course, to hush this up." Tienx-Langley smiled as she blew out a long wisp of smoke upon his face.  
Mason pulled a disgusted face, and threw a bundle of notes upon the desk, which Tienx-Langley gleefully scraped up.  
After packing it into her backpack, she turned around to leave.  
"May I ask what you will use it for?" Mason called after her.  
Tienx-Langley looked back and smiled. "Although I may be almost equalling you in brains, Professor, I am still young - I need pocket   
money to buy a jewel set I always wanted - the chiefmost jewel, of course, being..."  
The door slid open, and an army of boomers and humans came in, aiming machine guns upon Tienx-Langley.  
Mason smiled. The table was turned now, and he could laugh in her face.  
"Why don't you stay for a moment longer? I do have some lovely Scotch tea."  
  
I will take over from now, Langley.  
  
I know, I have been observant of it as per your commands, Langley.  
  
I turn around to respond to Mason's comment. Icy flames are now dancing in my eyes;   
I glare at him for giving counterfeit money to Langley.  
"Please do not make the mistake of assuming that I will give the disks up without a struggle."  
The evil cobra smiled. "Of course you may display your struggle."  
The ring of boomer and man moved closer and closer.  
I take out my weapon, and slice the ones nearest me in three swipes. The surprise must have been great; it looked as though they   
expected me to use a laser gun or hand-to-hand combat, not a weapon that could practically aim to targets behind me.  
I feel lucky that the ones nearest me are boomers - If I saw blood spilt on the floor, I'd probably cry.  
  
________________  
  
Miraka stepped upon the pedal hard while Lionel read some book outside the door.  
"Maybe it wasn't supposed to be like this, Maybe its meaning is not something shown to be true or not...  
Maybe it wasn't so, maybe..."  
  
Miraka raged. "How many maybes are there, Maybe-man? Bloody hell will you stop reading that bloody romance?!?"  
"It's not some romance, Miraka, it's the politics record of speeches made recently." Lionel resonded.  
"Oh, so the secretaries are now still in the conference reciting every soppy part of Tamaritha's  
love life while she lies in the hospital room still in a coma?"  
"Maybe, but they'll get to her current state, make decisions and discuss those dicisions in the end."  
"I wonder if anyone ever listened to a single word Tamaritha said about the whole arrangement! The poor child, she was never happy with  
this whole arrangement - no she wasn't! She was never happy, poor chid! Does anyone care?!"  
"Don't get so worked up about it. After all, she IS in a coma."  
Miraka sighed. "Yeah you're right. She isn't worked up about it herself anyway, so I guess I   
shouldn't bump into other people's affairs."  
  
________________  
  
IT was almost too late when Nene ran into Priss.  
"PRISS! ARE YOU OKAY??" Nene yelled. Did her arm move?  
Priss opened her eyes. Nene. Sylia. She does care, after all. She can't just forget about...  
"C'mon Priss, Get outta here while I fight the boomer!"  
Priss's face was burning with embarrassment. How did everything get down to this? Saved by a kid  
whom she despised! Life, so full of surprises...  
"The spare battery...catch!"  
Priss caught it with some effort, and inserted it with some difficulty.  
Nene fused into the boomer, found the core and smashed it with ease.  
Priss groaned. Why hadn't she thought of it?  
  
________________  
  
When Linna finally arrived at the other side of the tower, she heard gunshots.   
"Wha...?" Linna looked up to see a bunch of security guards, man and boomer, surrounding a suited figure that was using a weapon to keep them at bay, and in the background...Mason himself.  
Linna flew up to the level and approached the glass. Her cutters flicked out and sliced the glass deftly into shards that tinkled as they fell down.  
  
________________  
  
"Kiyaaaa!!!"  
Tamaritha woke up, her body hot and slick with sweat. Had she been dreaming?  
She seriously hoped so as she changed out of the gown into normal clothes, and slipped a Glock into her coat as she turned the door handle and stepped out into the dark corridor.  
Tamaritha sighed, and reassured herself that it really was a dream.  
  
She flicked on the switch.  
  
Adrian was there, cradling Sara Estella in his arms. Sara Estella's face and body had a bluish colour, and blood...trickling from her lips, a crimson puddle spilling out unto the floor...  
Tamaritha staggered, and covered her forehead.   
Deja vu... it was a frightful thing. A dream come true - it just had to be a nightmare.  
  
Another door opened, and Langley stepped out.  
Trembling, Tamaritha loaded her Glock and held it level to Adrian's head.  
Langley gasped, and put her hand to her mouth.  
  
"I...I can explain this. I believe you can too, Langley." Adrian said, smiling weakly.   
His voice had gone rash, and he was trembling too.  
Langley closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again. This time, she was calm.  
"Tamaritha, I do not think you should be here. Why don't you fly to Tokyo? Tienx is waiting,"  
Tamaritha nodded, and lowered her hand.  
"I'll get you for this," she snarled, suddenly turned and ran down the corridor.  
  
________________  
  
Mason smiled. A foolish Knightsaber had just walked into his trap, and the fun was about to begin.  
Upon entering, the Knightsaber hesistated.   
"No, this girl isn't part of your pack, is she?" Mason asked the green knightsaber.  
She chose to ignore him and went straight into the fight to back the girl up. This one was also quite efficient, cutting up as as many of the guards as they came in.  
But they are only human after all, and they will soon tire.   
Or will they?  
  
_________________  
  
Thalassa was sitting atop her desk, playing jacks when the phone rang.  
She pressed the button, and hastily answered.  
"Unit Minus Netherlands branch, Development Centre. Thalassa speaking - how may I help you?"  
"This is from Magitech Tokyo, and my name is Keiko. The cargo has been dispatched per your orders." the voice on the other end responded.  
Thalassa smiled as she caught two pieces in the air.  
"Ah, Keiko, it's been a long time since I last saw you! So how's it going?"  
"Oh, so-so. Not as Kosher as I'd like it, but you gotta bend the rules a little sometimes."  
"I see. So the job has been done?"  
"Admirably. It was a classic. Wish you were here to see it being done."  
"Thank you! After all, it nearly cost us a whole department, never mind countless lives for us.  
We do need our little revenge."  
"Well, wasn't Unit Minus created by a certain group of women craving venegence?"  
Thalassa was silent. In fact, she was so shocked, she dropped a piece and it rolled under her desk.  
Keiko on the other hand, took the hint.  
"Er, I guess I'll call you back later. Bye!"  
"Bye." She responded sullenly, and pressed the button to hang up.   
She groaned, and thanked her lucky stars that she still had an old model for a phone.   
And most important of all, that the other side could not see her face.  
  
___________________  
  
Priss slapped Nene's back.   
"Thanks kiddo. You...saved my life, and I am grateful for it."  
Nene smiled, perhaps even gloating a little.  
"You baka! Whaddya think friends are for? Anywayz, I see Leon-peon in the distance...We better bail!  
Otherwise they might catch onto what we've been up to and start 'pon on it. I wonder why they take so long sometimes, though I am part of the frustration myself..."  
The two darted around some alleyways, then stopped for a rest.  
Priss was suddenly thoughtful. "Hey, Nene...?"  
"What is it?"  
"When you joined the Knightsabers, you already were an employee of the AD Police, right?"  
Nene sighed. "No, I joined about the same time. If I was there already, I wouldn't be the same freelance hacker that got Sylia's invite."  
"I see. Would you have quitted either if you already were joined to one? I know how dangerous your position is for some 18 yr-old kiddo."  
"Yea, barely drinking age. But Like you and Linna, giving up the hoopla of my life is...well, stupid I guess."  
Both were silent for a while, then Nene spoke up again.  
"Hey Priss, although we really shouldn't ask each other too many questions, it seems I never got the chance to ask you why you wanted to be a Knightsaber.   
Really, I wonder what your reason was...everyone got to tell at one stage except you."  
Priss leant against the wall and looked up to the sky. "Well, it was a combo of the two pet hates - the boomers and the ADP."  
"I see...Hey Priss, did you ever hate me because I am an ADP official?"  
"Not really, but at one stage I was a little uneasy - you're just a kid, and you could well be betraying us as you do with the ADP now..."  
A crash of glass smashing was heard, and a scream over the comm.  
  
Priss and Nene turned simultaneously towards the tower. A suited figure was falling.  
The same thoughts rushed into their heads.  
They nodded in compromise, and leapt towards the tower.  
  
______________________  
  
I am falling. The ground is rushing up at incredible speeds and I can do nothing to stop it - wait one moment, maybe I CAN do something!  
I concentrate on my body force, and direct it so that I am rising up once more.  
As I rise up again, I curse myself for being so careless. The Green one's clumsy method of hand-to-hand combat should have told me something about stepping back.  
After all, I should've guessed from her weapons - cutters are distanced combat weapons, designed to ward off enemies.  
I groan as I re-enter the chamber, and only see the Green one helplessly fighting the guards, with the bird already flown out of the nest.  
I rush in, my chain reflecting silvery light as it slices through the guards and making a clean-cut path to the Green one.  
I focus on matching her aura patterns, then send a short message:   
The Green one starts, and is distracted long enough for a boomer to grab hold of her left arm. I slice the boomer's arm off.  
  
This time, the Green one understood, nodded, and flew out the window.  
Now that I got her out of the mess, I faced tens of boomer guards. Although I make tens of them fall to the ground each time I attack, more come in throgh the doors.  
What to do, what to do...  
  
_______________________  
  
Linna was lowering herself, one-two-three levels down when she met up with Nene and Priss.  
"Linna you idiot! What happened that made you go in there? Mason's in there too you know!" Nene cried.  
"Huff...Friggin boomer guards are killing someone in there. She let me escape, but I don't think she'll last long."  
"Yes, I can see the logic in playing a superhero in that hell-hole. Now let's bail before the ADP comes and blames all this on us."  
"B-But I thought the suited figure was.."   
Linna, Priss and Nene looked at each other.  
"A fake knightsaber?"  
  
_______________________  
  
Mackay sipped at his cocoa.  
"Priss's last message...Perhaps they are too late. They're already out of direct range anyway, and I guess they'll just bring her body here..."  
He grimaced, and slammed his fist upon the keypad.  
"It's all my fault! If I wasn't idling, Priss would have lived, and Linna and Nene wouldn't be in danger!"  
"What is it, Mackay? Is anyone in danger?"  
The door slid open, and Sylia walked in briskly.  
"Nene...Linna...They're all in mortal danger." Mackay stammered. "And all because of me! If I hadn't idled and gotten to drice the mobilepit, I'd have been there!"  
Sylia put a comforting hand upon Mackay's shoulder.   
"Look Mackay, you know you can't drive since the autopilot is gone to be fixed, and plus you know they'll manage well. After all, they are the Knightsabers."  
"Yea, the knightsabers. But they're still mortal." Mackay grumbled. "And now that they're outta range, I can't even warn them of the danger."  
"What danger?" Sylia's eyes widened.  
Mackay said nothing, but pushed a portable screen towards Sylia. Beeps and buzzes of signals were being recorded and translated upon the screen.  
"I believe these are the wavelengths emitted by a hardsuit..." Sylia started.  
"Yes Sylia, but the signal lengths are different...Almost as though it's a knightsaber that's not Linna, Priss or Nene."  
"...??? I don't get it, Mackay. There cannot be anyone imitating the Knightsabers."  
"But what if there is...?"  
Sylia staggered for a moment, then recovered herself while leaning against the wall.  
"Prepare me for launch, Mackay."  
  
________________________  
  
Tamaritha checked the air prissure and resistance rate of the suit, then placed her collar and leapt into the air.  
The rarefied air higher up made her huff and choke, but she kept going up to a certain cirrus cloud.  
She stopped for a moment, hovering in the air.  
"This should be the portal's location..."  
Tamaritha stretched out a finger into the cloud.   
The finger disappeared.   
A smile of satisfaction was on her face as Tamaritha threw her body into the portal.  
"Now to Megatokyo, Year 2040..."  
  
________________________  
  
I try to escape, but the boomers are too close together for me to hack a way through.  
I reach my left arm into my backpack, and at the same time wave the chain around me to slice any boomer that comes too close.  
A glowing metal is felt upon my fingers. Core material.  
I focus all my energy upon it. Ten seconds is all I need...  
My body starts glowing yellowish, then greenish. My helmet melts. and my hair is loose, flying everywhere.  
I smile, and the boomers are almost touching me now. Bad move, you dunderheads, I tell them as I start walking.  
Ten seconds are up. The boomers touch me, only to melt away into a metallic pool.   
Sickly.   
The stench chokes me. I walk through the window. Boomers follow me, but they are shattered to pieces as soon as they try to do the same.  
I have often been told that science from a certain extent has the appearance of magic.  
Maybe it is true, this is more supernatural than scientific.   
Before I make my grand exit of walking into the sunset, I match my aura to Mason.  
  
Mason sneers at me. But in the meantime he has already formed a theory inside his head.  
I throw my head back and laugh. How stupid of him! I meant nothing by that!  
As I walk towards the setting sun into my apartment, a new thought enters my head.  
Mason's aura. something strange about it - gaps in them, almost as though parts of his body weren't as one.  
Boomer Parts. Why hadn't I thought of that?  
I sneer at him, and at the same time I realise that my words DID mean something after all.  
  
  
_________________________  
  
"Look Adrian. You're a civillian now, you're not even meant to be here! Get out before you are annihilated!"  
Langley was fuming. First his mistress, now his daughter. What next - herself?  
Adrian said nothing, but cradled Sara Estella's cold body.  
"Wait a second...Adrian?"  
Adrian looked up, his eyes lacking...human intelligence...  
Adrian smiled. "Langley...our child is sick...Her birthday's tomorrow and she's sick today...IF she dies, then she'd never..."  
"Oh, no..." Langley broke down, and sobbed.  
"..She won't be able to greet her birthday..."  
"Please stop, Adrian...I'm sorry about the child...I know I shoudn't have killed her..."  
Sanity returned in Adrian's eyes. "You...Killed her?! You mean..."  
"Yes, I did...Now please stop it!" Langley was almost ready to slit anyone's throat.  
"You had an abortion? Then how come..."  
"Then how come WHAT?" Langley's voice was dangerously low, and rasping.  
"How come she grew up, and lived until now...?"  
_________________________  
  
Workers crowded around a metal box that was admitted through the repair sections. A fault with the programming, it stated on the label.  
The worker in charge scratched his head. No faults were ever reported with this particular model stated...Or was this the start of it?  
It was strange, the worker thought, how all the boomers seem faultless in the plans and the sample models, but tend to go rogue in the production models.  
Perhaps it was the difference in mass-production and hand-tuned samples. Perhaps there was an error after all in the plan that they had omitted to test for.  
The worker shook his head as he inserted a crowbar between the gaps in the metal sheets and started pulling it apart.  
"Hey watch it! That boomer's a mini OL!" one of his co-workers shouted. "If we accidently scratch her nails or something, she'll go rogue for it!"  
A few chuckled over the crude joke, but none of the others laughed. After all, waitress boomers went rogue as soon as they stuck theur tongue out in the air.  
Who knows what this boomer will be triggered to rogue activity by?  
The crowbar worked, and the workers peered into the box.   
A soft orange glow was surrounding a small childish figure, and the huddled figure opened its eyes and smiled.  
Flames of orange hair coiled and stretched as the child stood up and walked out of the box.  
The workers stood open-mouthed as the child took purple crystals out of a pouch she carried and sprinkled them upon the other boomers in the facility.  
The boomers rose and whirred into life.   
The child smiled, and the workers took the hint and fled into secure chambers.  
______________________  
  
The red-haired boomer stood in front of the Chairman.  
"Quincey," 


	6. Part 6

__________________  
  
The red-haired boomer stood in front of the Chairman.  
"Quincey."  
The Chairman was shocked. How dare she call him 'Quincey?' This term was never applied to him, especially from his boomers, which he fully controlled.  
"Quincey." The boomer repeated.  
"How...Dare....You...Boomer! No boomer...SHALL...Dare...Insult ME!"  
"Quincey...The old fool...Doesn't yet realise his tool is thinking other thoughts..." The boomer continued, as though unaware of the Chairman's anger.  
The Chairman groaned, and closed his eyes.  
"You shall pay..."  
Some of the cords that held him twitched, and the boomer collapsed, seemingly in pain.  
"Now go back to Mason, and deliver this message: I have heard him well."  
The boomer nodded, and slouched back, out of the chamber.  
  
___________________  
  
-5th February 2040-  
  
I collapse upon my bed, exhausted from experiencing near death.  
If one of the boomers there had struck me when I was trying to leave, that would have been my coup de grace. I shudder at the thought, and roll off the bed. There is no time to sleep - I must now consult the media about the events of yesterday.  
The kitchen table is overflowing from periodicals and e-mail printouts.   
I grab a bundle that seems to be today's and flop into the chair to read. A short message from Langley to tell me Tamaritha will be arriving. ELLE Tokyo...Some fashion guide about this month.  
Although it has only been two days since I have arrived here, but already a whole pile has gathered. I must speak to the apartment manager. He is one of us, and will take care of the junk.  
My laptop is beeping with more messages, and I feel slightly annoyed as Unidexta comes on and starts reciting all the "latest news" as she calls it.  
  
What? The portal? I could not believe my eyes. If that happened yesterday, then where is...  
  
WHAM!  
  
The window, pane and all, falls into the kitchen as a bedraggled girl with long black hair straightens herself up, smiling guiltily.  
"Tamaritha..." I greet her.  
"Well, good morning. I can see you haven't slept this past few days...Lionel must be annoyed...You should get your sleep sometimes..." As she said this, she shook the glass shards out of her hair.  
They fell glittering to the floor, and I roll my eyes. Klutzy girl. I will need to call the manager.  
"I think I'll go downstairs now, see to this apartment with the undermaid and the manager. I'll see you soon."  
With that, I left her stranded in the kitchen.   
Second time I left someone stranded, but who cares?  
  
___________________  
  
Lina, Priss, Nene, Sylia, Mackay and Nigel drank their coffee simultaneously. None spoke; they vaguely understood each other's feelings and thoughts about the whole situation. Fighting un-rogue boomers was one thing.  
Breaking into GENOM was quite another, and finding a fake Knightsaber there was nerve-wercking.  
Finally, Priss stood up.  
"Linna and Nene, you guys better go to work. Sylia, I think your shop needs a little tending to, I'll help."  
Nobody laughed at this however; and they all soon stood up to leave.  
"Er, see you later." Linna stammered, then she turned and suddenly dashed out.  
"Uh-er...I guess I'll see you soon too..." Nene mumbled and ran after Linna, leaving Priss and Sylia looking at each other blankly.  
After a few minutes of silence, Priss shrugged her shoulders.  
"OK What have I gotta do - wear skimpy leather?"  
A faint smile played around Sylia's mouth.   
"Priss, you demon.."  
  
___________________  
  
Adrian opened his eyes. A padded cell.   
They think I'm crazy! He thought as he ran to the door and rapped at it furiously. A nurse looked at him from outside, then drew down the blinds with a switch.  
Adrian slumped to the floor, his head swimming with vivid images of yesterday. Sara Estella...Langley...Tamaritha...Tienx...Thalassa...All women, all maniacal about something. All Unit Minus employees.  
Unti Minus. A total cult.  
Adrian shook his head and sighed. He did not understand why, what or who. Was he the only sane person in here? Probably, since they had locked him in here.  
  
___________________  
  
Langley opened her eyes. Sunlight was filtering through the shimmery white curtains in the french windows.  
She sat up, and stretched her arm towards the window. The curtains drew up, and the window opened into a view of the courtyard.  
Slipping off her bed, Langley looked around the room. A bottle of scotch lay at the side table in the corner, hinting at how she spent the night.  
She walked to the dressing table, and tried to straighten out her hair. The cream-coloured carpet felt plush under her feet, and with a start Langley realised how tired her feet were.  
Ringing the bell, Langley told the housemaid to bring her breakfast into the downstairs chamber. The maid, shaking her head in disbelief, went off to obey her command.  
Fixing her hair and dress, Langley walked down the stairs into the eggshell-blue chamber. There was a heap of letters, mostly invitations, in the letter-table.  
Langley sniffed the room. The air was stuffy, Sure she hadn't used this chamber for the last three months, but this doesn't mean they keep it in canvas drapery! She rang the bell, and it was three times before the under-housemaid answered.  
"Mei Xiang, I told you this room was to be aired, whether it was in use or not! I have not been absent from the house during these months, and I smell canvas!"  
"I am sorry ma'am. I will see to your particulars." The maid bowed, at ninety-degree angle.  
Langley glared at her for a few moments, then changing her tone, asked: "How has the priestess been?"  
Mei Xiang was surprised. "Priestess Kei? She has not been very well, you see, her meals have been ordered to be brought up to her room by her maid."  
"Very well. Commence your duties then."  
Mei Xiang bowed repeatedly before leaving, and the letter-table wheeled itself to Langley. Where was her secretary? Most likely to be still at the so-called "conference", where they gossip on in stupid addresses, when they're supposed to...  
A letter rose into the air, to her eye level. Addressed to Domberley Estate - must be general catalogues for kitchen orders or something. Langley settled all the letters addressed to "Domberley Estate" in a separate pile, and rang for someone.  
This time, Adrian's valet entered, blwed repeatedly before taking the letters and seeing to her schedule - and saying something about taking over for her secretary today.  
Then the cook herself entered to ask her particulars about sauces, cheese and wine combinations, how much cream should be taken out of her milk today...Langley shook her head as she listed her particulars about the wine sauce.  
"But you see ma'am, the shiraz doesn't uncork from the oak drums until this April."  
"Mount St Helens does, and I would like shiraz in my wine sauce." Langley firmly replied, her eyes in clear defiance of the cook.  
"Mount St Helens ma'am? But that would degrade the reputation of Domberley Estate's wine sauce..."  
"Look this is for MY personal morning tea isn't it?" Langley snapped, and the cook flinched.  
"Well ma'am, I'll look it up for you..." she mumbled before bowing repeatedly and leaving.  
Langley sighed, and walked to the main table where the breakfast was laid out for her. Souffle made of table water biscuits, blueberry tarts, a pitcher of full-cream jersey milk, and some peaches and cherries.  
She laid her napkin upon her lap, and reached out for the souffle. Sure it was not a very nice choice for breakfast, but her usual favourites now made her feel like throwing up...throwing up?  
Langley flinched as possibilities loomed inside her mind, and she dropped her fork. She did not pick it up, and instead rang for the butler.  
"Tell my physiotherapist that I am pregnant."  
The butler bowed, and murmured his congratulations before leaving.  
Langley picked up her fork and started eating again, but could not taste the food.  
  
______________________  
  
"Linna! Linna! Wake up! Do you want to miss lunch or something?"  
"Hm-mmph.." Linna straightened herself up. A workmate was looking over her, concerned.  
"Linna you idiot, stop sleeping on the job if you want to skip cleaning up the floor again!"  
"I'm all right, just go to lunch yourself..."  
"Well I can't, someone's waiting out the door asking for you! Says she's your relative."  
My relative? Linna thought. But I have no relatives in the city! Then...Who is she?  
Suddenly awake, she faced the girl. "OK I'll be out in a sec, just need to close this program."  
  
______________________  
  
The sun is high up in the sky, brightly shining. But in this office it is not hot and glaring. The sun - it's just throwing in a soft light.  
Miss Yamazaki is late, I see, as I look at my watch. I wonder if she'll appear in her uniform - nah, probably mufti.  
I now see Miss yamazaki walking up towards me. Brown hair, cropped short with sidefringes. Pixie pink lipstick... She sends a sardonical smile at me as she tells another employee "Yes, she is my relaitive." I bow.  
"Miss Linna Yamazaki?" I ask. She nods.  
"So what have you to see me? You're a complete stranger to me, yet you know my name..."  
She sounded tough, but I knew she was flinching. A falter in her speech told me that.  
"I have my own methods. But that is not why I am here to see you. I am in fact here to talk about..."  
An employee sidled up to us, trying to listen to our conversation. I gesture to her to go to another place, and she walked out the building with me.  
Once outside, she nodded to a certain cafe. I follow her, and there sat the blonde girl - Nene Romanova. The red one. Was this a trap? I do not think so - they do not know who I am yet.  
"Hi Linna! You're a bit late today," Miss Romanova smiles, and she points to me. " Who's this?"  
"A person claiming to be one of my long lost relatives in the city." Miss Yamazaki replies, then turns to me.   
"So what story have you got to tell?"  
  
______________________  
  
"Hey Leon, I see the women's intuition girl!"   
'...???...' The blank expression was evident on Leon's face.  
"You know, the gal I told you about!"   
You can tell that Daley was clearly excited, from the way he waved his hands around and talked. This was not the usual sardonical Daley Wong, Leon observed.  
"Yea so? You going hetero on me now, Wong?"  
Daley grinned. "Whatever you think. Why so angry? Don't tell me, you're secretly in..."  
"NO I AM NOT!" Leon was fast losing his control. Jeezuz Chrissy why wouldn't he stop jeering and get to the point?  
"I'm going for a walk down Harajuku...Wanna come, Leon? Actually, I think you might be too busy from the paperwork about the GENOM INCIDENT..."  
Leon's face flushed as he threw the documents he was holding aside and ran towards Daley, but he was already disappearing.  
"No, No, I'll come, so wait.. Wait a sec, Daley? Daley!!!"  
_____________________ 


	7. Part 7

"Come and inspect my personal stock, Priss." Sylia cooed as she took Priss to a far corner of the store.  
Priss was not impressed. "Well this side has rather poor lighting eh, Sylia? So what is this particular stock here for?"  
"Look I know you'll love it." Sylia giggled like a child.  
"I hate it when you say that - the last time you said that, I ended up wearing a coconut-coloured cocktail dress." Priss muttered.  
"Eh what was that?" Sylia pretended.  
"Nothing, ma'am. Just a statement by me, the not-so fashion conscious."  
"You mean, street demon who seems to wear leather all year around." Sylia smiled.  
"Yea I think so. So what is this newfangled stuff you're about to show me? If it's anything leather, I guess I'll take it...in moderation..."  
"Oh it sure is." Sylia laughed, and Priss could not help noticing that this time it was more like a cackle.  
  
________________________  
  
"So...Tell me about this women's institution girl again?"  
"It's "women's intuition," Leon. Learn to say things properly for once, would you ever?" Daley rolled his eyes.  
"Well whatever. They're both the same anyway. So what is her this "intuition" that is so important to you?"  
"Dunno. Sounds almost like a psychic." Daley muttered, but his eyes looked kinda...glazed.  
Leon sighed, and followed Daley into a restaurant. People talking, glasses clinking, forks and knives clattering upon plates. Steakhouse.  
Daley moved through the tables to a corner one where three ladies were sitting. A brown-haired girl, and two blondes. One of them was...  
"Nene! Nice to see you here! So, gotten over the strawberry peperos kiddo?" Leon greeted Nene, and subsequently a thud landed upon his head.  
"Ah, LEON-CHAN! DARLING! So glad to see you!" Nene responded, sniggering.  
Leon was about to make some comment back, but Daley held him back.  
"Look Leon we didn't come all the way here to smash Nene, we came here for the girl. Look, See? This blonde here." Daley pointed at Tienx.  
Leon adjusted his collar. "So this is the..."  
"Amazing psychic? I tell you, advanced science has the appearance of magic." Tienx answered.  
Linna was in the middle, all confused.   
"What's going on? You know this girl, Nene? Who are these people?"  
  
________________________  
  
Mason looked around the room, the shattered glass and the slip of paper.  
The shards were being vacummed by a cleaning unit, and the slip of paper lay still on the desk, exactly where the woman had put it.  
Mason smiled at the woman's foolishness. Did she not know that she had just issued a death warrant to her employees?  
He turned over the paper to show the writing, and raised his eyebrow in surprise.  
The page was completely blank, except a sentence.  
Mason took it up and scrutinised it.  
I love disappearing ink...do you favor it in documents too, sir?  
Mason grunted in disgust as he scrunched up the paper and threw it to the floor.  
The boomer vacummed it up.  
  
_______________________  
  
The child now stopped in front of a door, and nodded to a construction boomer.  
The boomer stepped forward and bowed its head down long enough for the child to caress it.  
Then the boomer started to...work on the door.  
As the workers watched with sheer terror upon their faces, the child melted the rest of the door down and walked through it, the boomers following her.  
Sounds of heavy, metallic footsteps were echoing in the hall as guards pushed in and started to attack the boomers.  
The child just smiled and stretched out her hand, making the guards' armour and weapons melt away into thin air. The heat created by this action made the guards scream in agony.  
Then her expression changed, and she immediately stopped, and stood in the same place for a minute. A sulky expression was apparant upon her face.  
The child huffed, and haughtily turned her nose up in the air and started marching with the boomers again. A new line of guards had come and fired, but their shots were absorbed into boomers.  
  
_______________________  
  
I sigh, and feel glad that I am let off the hook.  
Miss Yamazaki is feeling left out and confused - perhaps I should explain.  
"My name is Tienx, and Miss Romanova does not know me, although Mister Wong has met me before briefly."  
Nene and the brown-haired man nodded. I guessed his name...After all, Wong IS a popular surname of Chinese descent.  
Then I pointed to the more largely-built, darker-haired man called Leon.   
"Is this your partner?" I asked Wong.  
"Yes," he replied. "and I will not ask how you knew my surname. Now tell me about him."  
I squint my eyes. This person was a bit harder - because this person was a bit simpler.  
I soon picture the links his form tells, and reply.  
"This person is simple-minded, and originally worked in normal police before joining the ADP.  
Also, this person is flirty, easily annoyed, can ride a motorbike..."  
I trailed off, mumbling the rest.  
Miss Yamazaki stood up.  
"Well I certainly do not have a psychic for a long-lost relative, so you had better explain yourself or else."  
I raise my eyebrow. This person was determined, hotheaded and jumps to conclusions too often.   
"The or else, meaning you'd have ripped out my core if I was a boomer?"  
A silence fell upon the table, and thinking better, I stood up.  
"Well, I do not like to talk about myself in such a mess. I will meet you later."  
Then I walked out, but Mr Wong clutched my arm and followed out, then took me into a dark alley.  
"What are you doing?" I asked as a blindly walked on.  
"I am going to now ask you." He said.  
"Don't. Because I will not answer." I reply, snatching my arm away from him.  
But as I walked back out of the dim alleyway, his voice rang out:  
"How can I be like you? Could I ever be like you...A woman?"  
  
________________________  
  
  
"Oh yea, and I love those whips that you display over there," Priss muttered.  
"Ah, you have seen it haven't you? You are very observant. In fact, I am wondering if you were just looking for it now."  
Then Sylia and Priss stopped in a corner, and Priss stood with her arms akimbo.  
"Ok Sylia, what do you want me to do this time? It's not every day I offer my help voluntarily you know."  
Sylia smiled, her eyes now piercing Priss and making even Priss feel uncomfortable.  
"Can you cope in a rogue hardsuit, Priss?"  
Priss hesistated before answering.  
"I don't know."  
  
________________________  
  
It was nearly evening now, and dusk was settling in fast.  
But in this padded cell you could not see anything. Not even a bird flying home, not even the sound of the afternoon rush hour traffic.  
Adrian groaned. How long will this last before he really WAS driven into insanity? He hoped that someone would come and free him of this living death.  
Now that it was getting dark, his mind drifted to Sara Estella, and how her limp body had tried to breathe helplessly.  
Langley's daughter. His daughter.  
But who was he? Adrian did not know, and did not want to know.  
His mind drifted now to all the people he had killed in his time. Some old scheming cobras, some HIV-positive prostitutes, some were proven innocent only after death...  
Adrian stood up, and walked to the mirror. The mirror showed a haggard, tired-looking man.  
But it was not him, Adrian realised.  
He screamed.  
But the reflection in the mirror did not scream.  
It in fact did not even open its mouth, and its lips were formed into a cold sneer.  
The face looking back at him...it was him, Adrian realised.  
The father of the daughter he just killed. Langley's lover.  
But who was he? He did not kill this man!  
Adrian leant closer to the mirror to study the man's face.  
A cold shiver ran down his spine as he reaised who this man was.  
It was Adrian himself.  
Adrian jumped back in surprise, uttering a sound incomprehensible to the mind.  
Now, the reflection shimmered, as though upon a liquid surface, and this time Sara Estella was smiling at him through the mirror.  
She was not sniggering. She was smiling, and mouthing a single word.  
"Father."  
Her hand stretched out, out of the mirror. The mirror's surface shimmered as the limb came through.  
Adrian suddenly found strength in his legs to run to the door.  
Banging upon it, he shouted repeatedly for help, help he knew would not come.  
  
__________________  
  
The guard flipped through the newspaper as he glanced every now and then at the screen. Ring 3 was playing, and he did not want to miss the ghosts coming out of the computer now.  
No, he could not miss it. After all, this was the highlight of the movie: virtual into reality.  
He grimaced, but was still smiling as the ghost walked out of the TV screen in the room and choked the female character to death.  
There were convulsions running up and down her body, then all was still.  
The guard grunted as more irrelevant talking came up with a change of scene. Horror movies. Those talkings made it seem so unreal, so stupid. It should be pure action and gore.  
He heard a sound of a door banging and a man screaming for help in the distance, but could not be bothered to move. After all, insane men saw things, and he was not the counsellor.  
The banging noise continued, and seeing that the next five or so minutes would be pure talk, the guard stood up and decided to see what the commotion was.  
  
__________________ 


	8. Part 8

__________________  
  
I stand there, listening to the last echoes of the voice. Then I start walking again.  
  
After all, how in the world was I going to give this Mr Wong tutuitions on how to be a woman? I am already busy with my own things, and plus, Langley...  
  
Well, since Tamaritha has arrived, I guessed it was now time for Plan 2.  
  
_________________  
  
"Fire, more firepower!" The men yelled, as rapid shots rang out in the corridor. It almost sounded like World War 3.  
  
Obvlious to the noise, the child now reached out her hand over to the guns, opened her mouth and emitted a single note.  
  
Instantly, the guns melted, making red-hot puddles that hissed upon the floor.  
  
In the chaos, no-one had passed on the news to any of the higher officials. No-one had noticed a stray boomer going through the papers and taking photocopies and scans of some of the documents.  
  
No-one had noticed that the child actually held a remote control in her hand.  
  
_________________  
  
Mason held his hands together in anticipation. When the results came, he would then possess a weapon against this nuisance, against this hinderance for GENOM's world domination.  
  
A woman. He scoffed at the idea of weak females dominating the world. They were entirely devoted to passions of their minds, guided by the emotions they had. Bent on romance, pleasure, beauty and...  
  
Revenge.  
  
Yes. That was one quality of a woman that was strong: they could hate.  
  
But hate is not enough to conquer a world, Mason noted.  
  
He continued flexing his finders until the office door slid open and a young man in a lab coat came in.  
  
"The experiment is successful sir, but there is a problem."  
  
Mason hardly raised an eyebrow when he replied.  
  
"What is the problem? Does the success depend on conditions?"  
  
"N-No s-sir," The man was stuttering now. Mason sneered silently at the man. So anxious to please him to buy his life out.  
  
"Well...?"  
  
"Sir, there is a rogue boomer out in the lower levels. It's a mini-OL, and I believe it is potentially harmful to the results of the experiment - it may destroy the results."  
  
"Then destroy it before it does so." Mason answered impatiantly. Idiots, he thought.  
  
"If we knew h-how to, we would have imme-mediately done so without no- notifying you." The man stuttered.  
  
"Really? I must see this indestructible creature. The Chairman might be interested in it."  
  
Mason said as he rose from his chair.  
  
"Take me to the site."  
  
"Y-yes sir!"  
  
_________________  
  
The child was now climbing the stairs, letting most of her troop take the freight elevator. All she had with her now was a few construction boomers, at most ten.  
  
Her remote control beeped in a strange tune, and the child flipped the cover and answered it.  
  
"Yo, wassup?!"  
  
"Wassup ~ It's me, Tamaritha," The voice on the other end replied. "So how's it going? Good?"  
  
Child answered. "Oh fantastic, ma'am. They think I'm Neon Galatea!"  
  
"Watch out, Miraka, although the employees do not know Galatea's appearance, the Chairman and Mason does know what she looks like, and will immediately know that you're a fake."  
  
Child - no, Miraka, giggled, then replied. "Nah, that's no prob, I've got it under control. But something about the air here - makes me glow purple. And Mason, well I'll..."  
  
Miraka stopped midway, as Mason with his assistant turned a corner and came face to face with her.  
  
"Ok, I'll...do something about it. Gotta go now."  
  
Miraka flipped the mobile back into remote status, and faced the men.  
  
"Hello, Mason," She whispered.  
  
_________________  
  
  
  
When I arrived back in the apartment, the glass had been fixed and Tamaritha had just put down the phone - did she make a call to Miraka?  
  
From the expression in her face, the results of the phone call was clear - mission ended prematurely.  
  
I approached her, but she does not turn and respond. It's only when I am close to her that I realise she is having another seizure. I turn her upon her back, and raise her head.  
  
The bottle of medication at the bedside would do for now.  
  
Three drops...  
  
The colour comes back into her cheeks, and she opens her eyes.  
  
"I...Must have called at the wrong time..." she whispers.  
  
I hold her tightly to my arms, and say nothing.  
  
"Langley...She will take care of me too won't she...?"  
  
I remain silent. There was no reason to tell her - yet.  
  
A look of recognition passes her eyes - or is it enlightenment? I do not know, and I shall never know.  
  
I put her gently upon the bed, and took out a made-up resume out of my folder.  
  
"This is your task."  
  
Tamaritha still did not respond.  
  
I sigh. I am tired after all, and I want to rest.  
  
I walk to the bedside table, and putting down Tamaritha's medication, pick up a pink bottle containing lilac liquid.  
  
one drop, two drops, three drops, four...  
  
I take a glass of water, and walk back into the bed.  
  
I close my eyes.  
  
________________  
  
Mason stared for a long time at the boomers in the corridor.  
  
And in the midst of them, he saw... a girl.  
  
A girl! Mason thought. My officials were afraid of a mere girl!  
  
The girl straightened her hair, muttered something under her breath and approached him.  
  
"Humans," she started.  
  
Mason's lips curled in comtempt.  
  
"Yes, humans. The current rulers of this planet."  
  
"You are a human yourself."  
  
"There are some things you must understand, child. Come with me."  
  
The girl now nodded her head, and Mason lead the way, the boomers following her in a silent procession.  
  
________________  
  
  
  
"...Sylia, I do not understand. This does not make sense. Rogue boomers as suits? Boomers by itself has already been my one big drawback here, girl. I don't know what you are making us do by trying to get us bayttling rogue boomers with rogue boomers for us to control."  
  
"Maybe," Sylia replied, "It would be better for you to comment after trying it on."  
  
This time, Priss said nothing, but stared into Sylia's forehead. What was going on in there? Did she want to risk all out lives for this?  
  
"Well?" Sylia looked at Priss once more, this time expecting an answer of some sorts.  
  
"Let's call the others in. See what they think."  
  
"And why would you want to do that?" Sylia frowned. "I thought you were the daredevil, the one who always wants to be the first."  
  
"I suppose you can call that a pre-mortal evaluation, if there was ever such a term."  
  
With that, Priss strode past Sylia into the elevator, but Sylia did not seem to have felt her go.  
  
Sylia stood there, in the dim-lit corner, her eyes gazing into space.  
  
_________________  
  
Linna yawned. It was getting late, and the tedious small-talk ceased as they had reached Nene's apartment.  
  
"I guess I will again rely upon your hospitality and what space you have in your apartment, Nene," she mumbled.  
  
Nene yawned. "I suppose so."  
  
Nene opened her door, and stepped in, turning on the light. Her eyes looked around, adjusting itself to the comfortable mess.  
  
"Ahh, home sweet home," she mumbled, before dropping off to sleep upon the floor.  
  
"Hey, Nene!" Linna shouted as she tried to drag Nene back to her feet, but she felt herself slump too. Why were they so tired...?  
  
A blue flash, two blue flashes...Linna realised her cell phone was ringing, although she could not hear the noise.  
  
She reached into her pocket and answered it.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"It's Sylia. Move in. Now."  
  
Linna closed the flap, and tried to wake Nene up.  
  
"Nene! You gotta wake up Nene! Nene!"  
  
But Nene showed no response, and Linna bent over to shake Nene's shoulder.  
  
Her eyelids drooped, and Linna struggled for a while before slumping on top of Nene herself.  
  
_________________  
  
When Leon finally found Daley, it was in a dimly-lit alley.  
  
Arms limp upon his sides. Staring into the other end, looking. Staring.  
  
Leon clapped his hand upon Daley's shoulder.  
  
"Hey, partner. Something wrong?"  
  
Daley snapped out of his trance and shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"No, nothing is wrong...Hey, we should eat something...how does udon grab you?"  
  
Both chuckled, slapped each other's shoulders and walked out of the alleyway.  
  
As they turned into the street however, Daley saw that Nene and the other girl were not in the restaurant anymore.  
  
"Hey Leon, where'd Nene go?"  
  
Leon chuckled. "Oh I decided to give her a payback for calling me Leon- chan."  
  
Daley stood serious-faced for a moment, then slapped Leon's back. "Oh no, you didn't..."  
  
"...Give them a date-rape drug to forget about what happened tonite. I'll just rack her up tomorrow saying something about us all having an orgy."  
  
Daley rolled his eyes. "Well, take me out of the story ok?"  
  
Leon thought for a moment, before replying, "Okay."  
  
________________  
  
Mackey took off his safety glasses, and rubbing his eyes, turned to the clock. It now read 2:00 am and he was tired.  
  
"Nigel, Let's take the night off ok? I...Sylia would understand us, won't she?"  
  
The cranking of screws stopped, and Nigel looked up from his work for a moment.  
  
"Maybe she doesn't understand us."  
  
Mackey hesistated before attempting once more.  
  
"Well then how about a break?"  
  
The door slid open, and Priss stepped in.  
  
"No need. You guys are testing me out tonight."  
  
Mackey turned to face Priss in a questioning look, but Nigel just looked away and lighted his cigarette.  
  
Priss continued,"The others will be here soon too. Sylia has rung them up."  
  
Mackey sighed, and putting his safety glasses back on, turned to his work.  
  
_______________  
  
Rays were filtering thorugh the windows when Nene woke up. She checked her phone. 6:03 am. two missed calls - both from Sylia's number.  
  
She looked around. She was - home. With Linna.  
  
With Linna?  
  
"Hey, Linna."  
  
She shook Linna's sleeping body, but her limp body would not respond.  
  
"Hey! Linna! Wake up! We had two missed cals from Sylia! She wanted us last nite and we missed her!"  
  
By now, Nene was shaking Linna with such force Linna turned upon her back.  
  
Nene noticed her lips were drained of colour and she was drooling.  
  
"Oh no," Nene moaned, and she tried to think of what they did after going into the restaurant last night.  
  
A sickening feeling stirred itself in her stomach as Nene realised one thing.  
  
She could not remember at all.  
  
_______________  
  
-6th February 2040-  
  
I wake from a drug-induced sleep.  
  
Drug-induced.  
  
Yes.  
  
I have been sleepless these past nights, and my body mechanism flipped over.  
  
Next to me, Tamaritha is quietly snoring. This is unusual, because she usually sleeps very silently. But it indicates that she is alive, which is a relief to me.  
  
Relief. This was a feeling I had not felt for many years.  
  
In fact, ever since I met Langley.  
  
I straighten myself, and stand. The sunlight fell through the mullioned windows, making a funny pattern on the carpet, causing shadows upon its textured roses.  
  
Bracing myself for the day, I try to calm myself by looking around the room.  
  
Familiar objects.  
  
Familiar faces.  
  
And among the familiarity was the hideousness that reminded me of my fate.  
  
A yellow envelope and a time written on its flap.  
  
Job interview.  
  
Job interview for the ADP Crime Detection department.  
  
I flex what is left of my muscles and walk over to where the envelope 


End file.
